Towers Hill by Maria Caesar

     Standing proudly atop Towers Hill is a large water reservoir painted in bright blue and yellow with the wording “The World”, the name Charters Towers was affectionately referred as when it was the second largest city in Queensland. In December 1871 an Aboriginal boy named Jupiter Mossman first discovered gold at the foot of Towers Hill. A monument was constructed at the site to commemorate the Australian bicentenary in 1988.

     At 420 metres, Towers Hill dominates the skyline behind Charters Towers. Over the years the hill’s three peaks have been subject to much use, predominantly as a mining site. Nowadays it is an ideal exercising venue as every morning and afternoon walkers and cyclists take on the challenge of ascending the hill as part of their daily routines.

     Upon entering the gates at the main entrance, immediately to the right is the Landcare rehabilitation project. Follow the road to the Charters Towers Seismograph Station. In the early 1960s, the University of Queensland established a geophysical recording station on Towers Hill. As part of a worldwide project spanning more than 65 countries with approximately 120 recording stations, the programme provides more accurate recordings of earthquakes. To this day, the Charters Towers station continues to record geophysical information. Located a little further up the road is the Magnetometer structure.

     Next on the road, a dirt track branches off allowing walkers to investigate the site of Clark’s Gold Mine. Whereas the North Australian Mine was the first on the field, Clark’s Gold Mine was the town’s last great deep mine to work on the goldfield, ceasing its operations in 1924.

As you resume your journey towards the summit you will notice that the hillside is dotted with World War II bunkers. Charters Towers played a critical role in the defence of Australia from 1941 to 1945. More than 15,000 American servicemen were based in the area along with Australian Army and Air Force personnel. The RAAF No.3 Replenishing Centre was established in Charters Towers in September 1942.

     Thirty bunkers were constructed at Towers Hill, arranged into four groups, to store munitions. These bunkers were camouflaged by being almost completely covered with mullock from nearby disused gold mines. After the war, the bombs from the bunkers were safely removed and destroyed through a series of controlled explosions. Other items, including ammunition, were thrown down mine shafts and burnt.

      Atop Towers Hill you will find an amphitheatre, picnic tables and a toilet block. In the evenings, a film called “Ghosts after Dark” is screened in the amphitheatre. Ghosts of the past have a starring role as they share the story of the history of Charters Towers.

     Follow the bitumen beyond the amphitheatre and you will discover another dirt walking track, this time leading to the ruins of the site of the Pyrites Works, Charters Towers’ largest chlorination plant. Its 167ft tower was demolished during World War II. Chlorine gas had been used in the plant to treat crushed rock discarded after being processed at the mill. The plant closed when the more cost-efficient cyanidation process replaced chlorination.

     Nowadays, the extension of the walking track enables people to complete a full circumference of the hill. It is best to come in the early mornings or evenings to see the large variety of native wildlife. Birds, reptiles and echidnas have made their home on and around Towers Hill along with several species of macropods such as the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, the Whiptail and the Allied Rock Wallabies. I highly recommend that you walk/cycle/drive up the hill and enjoy a sunset picnic with the best view in “The World”.